In many radio transmitting or receiving applications, as for instance on exposed controller boxes or in mobile communications or paging systems, the mounting location of the antenna must be near ground level. Almost inevitably the mounting arrangement leaves open the possibility of antenna theft or vandalism. Slender dipole or whip-like antennas are particularly vulnerable. To substantially reduce such threat, the antenna must be of rugged construction and preferably inconspicuous. In the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band where wavelengths are measured in inches or centimeters, certain antenna designs make dimensional accuracy very critical and add thereby to the cost of manufacturing the antenna. To date a low cost antenna possessing the desired vandalism-resistant character while achieving good performance has not been available.